HORSESHOE PITCHING GUIDE

The game seemed to take on new life, and several special matches were held in the State in 1919. Hughie Palmer was defeated by Chas. Bobbitt of Lancaster. On Sunday, October 19, one of the greatest matches ever held in the United Slates was staged by the members of the Akron Fire Department at Akron, Geo. May vs. Chas. Bobbitt of Lancaster. The match was given publicity in all parts of the State. It took place at Goodrich Field, before a crowd of 1000 people, May winning the match in six straight games after losing the first game. On the following Saturday, October 25, May pitched Hughie Pal-mer. the State champion for the title, winning the match in six straight games. Several hundred dollars were bet on these games, and the enthusiasm ran high, May being considered unbeatable. Plans were at once laid to send him to St. Petersburg, Fla., to compete for the national title As the fall came on and the weather was not so good for horseshoe pitching, several of the boosters of the game began looking forward to putting the game on an organized basis.
On October 29. 19.19, in the office of the Akron Realty Co.. I. O. O. F. Bldg., South Main St., Akron, Ohio, the following horseshoe boosters gathered, and organized the Buckeye Horseshoe Pitching Association of Ohio, which name was suggested by Mr. Wm. Weis, of Goodyear, and approved by Harry G. Haynes, Capt. A. Stair, Art L. Headlough, Geo. May, of Akron; and C. B. Page and Steve Billings of Barberton. Action was at once taken and the following officers were elected: Captain Austin Stair, member of the. Akron Pile Department, president; Wm. Weis of Goodyear Rubber Co., vice president; Art L. Headlough of the Akron Fire Department, Secretary; J. M. Wylie, secretary of the Rubber Products Co., Barber- ton, Ohio, treasure). Harry G. Haynes, president of the Kenmore Banking Co., Geo. May, State champion, and John M. Richardson, retired, of Ravenna, were elected as a board of directors. Thus sprung up one of the livest horseshoe organizations in the country, and the first State association of its kind in the United States. After several meetings the organization was perfected, with the following officers:
President, Capt. Austin Stair of Akron Fire Dept.
Vice president, Wm. Weis, Goodyear Rubber Co.
2nd vice president, W. A. Johnson, president Rubber Products Co.
3rd vice president, John T. Mertz, chief Akron Fire Department.
4th vice president, Frank F. Pilmore, Akron Grocery Co.
5th vice president, Fred E. Smith, president Akron Realty Co.
6th vice president, R. C. Witwer, County treasurer.
Secretary, Art L. Headlough, Akron Fire Department.
Treasurer, J. M. Wylie, secretary Rubber Products Co.